John t



(No Model.)

J. T. MdMULLEN.

R E P P I L G T I U R F No. 435,240. Patented Aug. 26, 1890 WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. MOMULLEN, OF BAY VIEW, FLORIDA.

FRUIT-CLIPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,240, dated August 26, 1890.

Applioation filed June is, 1890. SGI'iElNO. 355,910. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN T. McMULLEN,

residing at Bay View, Hillsborough county, and State of Florida, have invented a new and ImprovedFruit-Clipper, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in fruitclippers and especially in that class of such devices intended to be held in the hand and having stalls or loops to receive the thumb and the forefinger, so that by the opening of the hand the blades may be spread apart to embrace the fruit and may be closed to cut the stem of the fruit, as described.

The present invention seeks to provide constructions by which the device may be conveniently operated without cramping the hand and without restricting or affecting the natural movement of the joints of the hand, so that the use of the device will not unduly tire the hand. i

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view showing the device on the hand and the blades closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the blades open. Fig. 3 is a front end view of the clipper, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device spread out in position for sharpening the cut tin g-blades.

. The improved device is shown as consisting of the stalls A Bthe former for the thumb and the latter for the forefinger-and the blades 0 D, pivoted or jointed together at their rear ends and screwed, respectively, to the stalls A and B. The stall A is bent. into tubular form to receive the thumb, while the stall B has a strap E to secure it to the finger. The blade D is secured rigidly to the stall B, while the cutter O is jointed pivotally at both its front end 0' and its rear end 0*, so that it can swing at both points 0' and C This rear joint 0 swings upward and forward as the cutter is opened. WVhile it is preferred to joint the blade 0 at C to the blade D, it will be understood that it might be connected at 0 directly with the stall B instead of through the blade D. By pivoting blade 0 at both its forward and rear ends the joint C is free to swing upward and forward, permitting the clipper to open with the natural opening of the hand and without any cramping or restriction of the joints. The jointing of blade 0 at O (1 also gives a great leverage in cutting the stem, rendering such work easy of accomplishment. Now, as the device is intended in use to be operated all day, it is obvious that constructions therein which prevent the cramping of the hand and cause it to cut easier are of great importance. It will be noticed that the stalls A B are not connected save by the cutter C, so that the movement of the cutter C on its joints 0 C is unimpeded, and the clipper is perfectly free to open and close with the natural opening and closing movement of the thumb and forefinger.

Vhen it is desired to sharpen the cutterD, the parts may be spread out, as shown in Fig. 4, when the blade may be readily applied to a grind or whet stone and properly sharp-- ened.

The blade 0 is formed with serrations or saw teeth and efficiently coacts with the smooth-edged blade D in cutting the fruitstems, &c.

Having thus described my invention, WhatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat cut, is

1. A fruit-clipper having the stalls A B, adapted to receive the thumb and forefinger, the blade D, and the blade C, such blade 0 being pivotally jointed to one of the stalls and to the blade D at its respective ends, whereby it may be swung upward and forward at its rear end, substantially as set forth.

2. A fruit-clipper consisting of the stalls A and B, adapted to receive the'thumb and forefinger, the blade D, fixed to the stall B, and the blade 0, pivotally jointed at its forward end to the stall A and at the other end to the rear end of blade D, thus forming a connection between the stalls A and B, such stalls being otherwise disconnected, substantially as set forth.

JOHN T. McMULLEN. I \Vitnesses:

P. B. TURPIN, SoLoN O. KEMON. 

